I have been waiting for the premier of "The Next Iron Chef" and it is on now and it is fantastic.

The 8 chefs first had a speed challenge where they boned a chicken, filleted a salmon, collected 2 cups of coconut milk, shucked clams and oysters, Frenched a rack of lamb and cut a daikon sheet thin enough to read a newspaper through.

They were judged on speed and quality of work.

The results were surprising....

Now they are making desserts.... with no sugar, cheese or butter..... two desserts each... one of fruits and normal dessert items... the other savory.... the ingredients... tripe, bacon, beef shoulder, squid, catfish, salmon roe, chorizo, and duck confit....

This is a test of srtistry... right.... chocolate catfish ganache.... please...and John Besh is one of my all time favorite chefs... but how do you make a catfish dessert and how is that a test of artistry... it is absurd...and so entertaining...lol

Chef Michael Symon

made rice pudding and French toast topped with bacon ice cream.... they questioned his creativity.... and lack of stretching himself...

Gavin Kaysin....

pecan crusted Pain Perdu with berries.... and honey and ginger glazed squid..... they did not like the taste of the squid... but admired his creativity....

Tracie Des Jardin....

beets and apple with salmon roe, and an almond cake....

Jill Davie

a chilled lemoncello soup and a beef shoulder and blackberry crepe gastrique.... praised her for her homemade ricatta

Aaron Sanchez....

crepe and duck confit with a corn cake and mole.... duck skin left in and not a dessert flavor

Chris Cosentino

goats milk rice pudding with berries and fried tripe panzanella

John Besh

bread pudding and bananas foster.... and catfish and grape catfish truffle with a parfait of white chocolate and catfish and beignets of catfish

Morou Ouattara
banana fritters and fresh fruit..... and a chorizo rizotta... not a dessert....

And the winner is.........drum roll please....

My favorite of the chefs..... John Besh...

Sadly Tracie Des Jardin has been eliminated and will go home.

I cant wait for next week..... this is going to be a blast.....

Angel